The University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Date: Dec 31 1969
Major: School of Information (This Major's Salary over time)
I was an online student in their Information Science program, so I can't comment on various on-campus aspects, though I'm from the region and know all about Knoxville. I will say that minor details can change on a whim without advanced notification. My opinion is based on the end result and my experience with the program. The online aspect is no different than in-person attendance, with the exception of actually seeing teachers/students (voice only). It's good for those with other responsibilities (work, family, etc.). That said, I'll start with my criticism.

For me, there were only a handful of courses that were needed as aspects of the info-sci profession are being made obsolete due to the digital age. The teachers for the most part are helpful and fair, but you might get bogged down with useless materials, leaving your brain to wonder. You really do learn to basically research things outside of coursework in order to fully understand the profession (it's emphasized). There are plenty of materials to access and the quality of the courses overall was decent. The problem I had, which influenced my final grading of the program, involved their comprehensive exam. No matter your grades (I had a 3.5GPA), if you fail the exam, you're dismissed. The advice given by the staff is left to be desired. You have to obtain as much outside info as possible on thse types of tests due to the vague stipulations and subjective grading "in the fairness for other students". The only positive thing I can say about the testing experience is that they give you 2 tries in passing. Somehow, I failed both. My 1st attempt, while answering the questions correctly, needed "more depth". The 2nd try also ended in a "fail" for the same reason. They gave me an opportunity for a so-called oral defense to expand my answers on the 2nd exam. The questions asked by the committee were pretty simple and were answered on my part correctly. However, I was told that I still failed and was dismissed. It has me to believe that this is beyond academics and more into politics. Researching my answers on both exams as well as the oral yielded no logical reasons for failure. This is coming from someone who has worked in a library for almost 10 years…does this make any sense? Again, it's not about if your answers are correct or that your grades are above average or even top-tier. They will ultimately make the final call as to whether you pass or fail. The "depth" they look for is suited for doctoral/research levels and the materials they lecture on are not so deep in my opinion. If you're good at adding "fluff" or gushing at every little movement the dept does, you MAY do well. Had I known this beforehand, I would've explored other programs or institutions, instead of waste nearly 3 years on coursework that yielded little to nothing. Again, grades or the amount of effort is near the bottom of importance as they (somehow) make the descision on whether you get a degree or not.